Slicing machine



T. w. cRE'EcH SLICING MACHINE Nov. 10, 1936.

Filed June 23, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1936. T, W CREECH 2,060,460

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 25,' 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR i BY v ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1936. T. W. cREEcH 2,060,460

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 10 10 im. l.

11 L vmm ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLICING MACHINE Application June 23, 1930, Serial No. 463,075

3 Claims.

This invention relates to slicing machines and particularly to slicing machines of the multibladed type.

Heretofore it has been the practice to provide multi-bladed slicing machines with mechanically operated pushers for moving the articles to be sliced to and through the cutter blades. Such mechanically operated machines necessitated eX- pensive and complicated actuating mechanism for the pushers or other feeding devices.

The present invention contemplates the elimination of the complicated feeding and actuating means therefor, and one of the objects of this invention is to provide a slicing machine with new 415 and improved means for feeding the articles thereto which is very eicient in operation and economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a multi-bladed slicing machine with gravity feeding means whereby the articles to be sliced may be fed at an angle to the slicing blades.

Another object is to provide a multi-bladed slicing machine with means for feeding the articles to be sliced at an anglevto the cutter blades and with means for automatically removing the sliced articles from the vicinity of the slicer blades.

A further object is to provide a slicing machine having a pair of oppositely reciprocable blade frames with an improved means for reciprocating the blade frames whereby vibration thereof is materially lessened.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will be apparent from the detailed description to follow, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts whichwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

In the drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the completely assembled slicing machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine shown in -45 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the machine f taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, portions of the same being broken away to show the means for supporting the blade frames.

: Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the feed chute relative to the slicer blades.

f Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken (Cl. 14S-153) substantially on the line 6--6 of Fig. 1 showing the means for operating the reciprocable blade frames, the housing for the connecting rod being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 1 1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the means for operating the cutter blade frames, the top portion of the connecting rod housing being removed, and a portion of the housing being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the slicing machine shown is of the multiple blade type used for commercially slicing bread. The operative mechanism is supported by a pair of spaced side frames I interconnected by suitable cross members 2. Each side frame is provided with a centrally located upright extension 3, these being interconnected by a suitable cross member 4.

The slicing mechanism for the machine preferably comprises a pair of blade frames A and B of rectangular shape which carry the cutter blades 5. Each blade frame comprises an upper K cross-head 6 and a lower cross-head 'I which are mounted upon a pair of shouldered tubular side rod members 8.

The blade frames are mounted side by side in a verti-cal position and the blade frame crossheads 6 and 'I are provided with equally spaced aligned lugs I4 which carry the cutter blades 5 under tension, and the lugs on one frame are so arranged that they lie between the corresponding lugs on the other blade frame in order that the cutting edges of the cutter blades will lie in the same plane to simultaneously engage the article to be sliced. The cross-heads 6 and 'I are pivotally mounted on the tubular members 8 and are drawn against the sho-ulders thereof by the tensioned cutter blades 5.

The blade frames A and B are simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions, and each is mounted upon a pair of stationary guide rods 9 which are vertically positioned at opposite sides of the apparatus. These guide rods 9 extend through the tubular side rods 8 of the blade frame and are secured by means of nuts I 0 to upper and lower brackets II and I2, respectively, the brackets II and I2 preferably being formed integral with the upper cross member 4 and a central cross member 2, as shown in Fig. 7. It is preferable, as shown in Fig. 3, toI provide bushings I3 in the ends of the tubularside rods 8 in order to provide suitable hardened bearing surfaces.

Each upper cross-head 6 is provided at its ends with outwardly extending shaft portions I5 which pivotally receive the upper ends of operating links I6, the links I6 being held in place on the portions I5 by means of suitable nuts II.

A horizontal rock shaft I8 is journaled in bearings I9 secured to a. lower cross member 2 and has double crank members 20 secured to its ends. These crank members 20 are mounted intermediate their ends and the crank portions at one side of the shaft I8 have the lower ends of the operating links I6 for one of the blade frames pivotally secured thereto, and the crank portions at the other side of the shaft I3 have the lower ends of the operating links I6 for the other blade frame pivotally secured thereto. Suitable pins 2Ila are carried by the crank portions of the members 20 for pivotally supporting the ends of the operating links I6.

The center line of the rock shaft I8 is arranged to lie on the vertical plane midway between the parallel blade frames. By rocking the rock shaft in opposite directions, it is obvious that the blade frames will be caused to alternately reciprocate in opposite directions. Heretofore it was the practice in some types of slicing machines to pivot the actuating links I6 'to 180 degree rotatable cranks, but in so doing, the links I6 were given a whipping action which set up considerable vibration, especially when the blade frames moved at a relatively high rate of speed. The disadvantageous feature of vibration is materially lessened in the present invention by pivotally mounting the actuating links I6 to the rock shaft I8 in the manner described, which in fact provides a substantial balancing of the forces.

The rock shaft I8 is provided with a lever 2| rigidly secured thereto intermediate the bearings I9 to which one end of a connecting rod 22 is pivoted. The other end of the connecting rod 22 is pivoted to a counterbalanced crank shaft 23 which is journaled in bearings 24 suitably secured to a lower oil containing housing 24a extending between cross members 2. The crank shaft 23 is provided with a suitable flywheel 25 and a drive pulley 26 which is driven by means of a belt 21 from a pulley 28 mounted on a drive shaft 28a, as shown in Fig. 1, the drive shaft being arranged to be driven by a suitable motor (not shown).

The lever 2I, connecting rod 22, and throw of the crank shaft 23 are preferably enclosed within a housing 29 that is secured to the lower housing 24a.

The bread or other article to be sliced is fed to the cutter blades 5 by means of a gravity chute which comprises a base portion 30 that extends upwardly and rearwardly at a suitable angle from the cutter blades 5. It is to be particularly noted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, that the base portion is slotted at its lo-wer end to provide spaced finger portions 3l]a that extend between the cutter blades. The lower end of the base 30 is secured to a horizontal rod 3I attached to brackets 3In which are secured to the side frames I. The rear end of the base portion 3U is also supported in the inclined position by suitable braces 32 carried by levers 32a which are secured to a shaft 32D. The shaft 32D is provided with a toothed sector 32c arranged to be actuated by a worm 32d for adjusting the inclined position of the base 30.

The base portion 30 is provided with adjustable side guide pieces 33 which extend longitudinally thereof, and which in turn are provided with adjustable spring metal guide fingers 34 that extend to a plane adjacent the cutter blades 5, as shown in Fig. 2. The guide pieces 33 guide the bread or other article to be sliced as it moves down the base portion 30 and the spring metal guide fingers 34 deliver the bread to the slicer blades in the correct centered slicing position. The guide fingers 34 are pivoted to the ends of the guides 33 and are provided with compression springs 34a and thumb nuts 34b for adjusting the position of the fingers 34.

The bread in its descent down the base portion is assisted by a pair of narrow endless conveyor belts 35 that are mounted on suitable pulleys 36 to lie in such a manner that the plane of the upper sides thereof lies substantially above the plane of the base portion 30 so that the friction between the conveyor belts 35 and the bread to be sliced moves the bread downwardly toward the slicer blades 5.

The pulleys 36 lie within slots 35a formed in the base portion and each pair is mounted on a shaft 36a which is journaled in bearings secured to the base portion 3U. Suitable strips 35b are secured to the under side of the base 30 underneath the slots between the pulleys to support the conveyor belts 35. One of the shafts 36 is provided with a pulley 3I that is driven by a suitable belt 38 from a pulley 39 mounted on a horizontal shaft 40. The shaft 4D is journaled in bearings 4I carried by the side frames I at the rear side of the cutter blades 5 and is provided with a pulley 42 which is driven by a suitable belt 49 from a pulley 50 mounted on the drive shaft 28a. The pulleys described are so arranged that they will drive the conveyor belt at the same speed as the intake belt 35 of a bread wrapping machine which may be attached directly to the slicing machine. It is preferable to drive the conveyor belts at a linear speed of between 16 to 21 feet per minute. In this way it is possible to slice approximately from 2400 to 3000 five-inch loaves of bread an hour.

In order to prevent the piling up of the sliced bread at the rear of the slicing blades, means is provided to carry the bread away from the blades to a suitable point where they may be automatically fed to a wrapping machine. The side frames I rearwardly of the slicing blades 5 are provided with a suitable covering 43 which forms a discharge table. The covering is cut away at 44 to receive an endless belt conveyor 45, the upper side of which preferably lies on and is guided by the top of the table 43. The belt conveyor 45 operates over a pair of rollers 46, one of which is mounted on the shafts 40, and the other of which is mounted on a shaft 41, the shaft 47 being journaled in adjustable bearings 48 ,secured to the side frames I.

Suitable adjustable guides 52 are mounted on the table 43 to extend over the conveyor 45. These guides are adjustable transversely of the table 'to accommodate loaves of bread of various lengths. It will be noted that the guides 52 extend substantially to the slicing blades so that they will guide the bread as soon as it leaves the slicing blades.

If desired, although not shown in the drawings, the belt conveyor 45 may be a continuation of the feed belt of a wrapping means. Other suitable means Inay be employed, if desired, to transfer the sliced bread to the wrapping machine.

The bread may, if desired, be lifted bodily from the conveyor 45 or table 43, placed in cartons, and then transferred to the wrapping machine.

In operation, the adjacent slicing blades are reciprocated in opposite directions at a relatively high rate of speed, and the belt conveyor 35 is moved at a linear speed corresponding with the rate at which it is desired to slice the bread and which may, if desired, correspond with the speed of the wrapping machine. The loaves of bread to be sliced are placed on the inclined base 30 of the chute between the guides 33. It is preferable to maintain the chute full at all times so that the bread can be fed at the top of the chute. The loaves of bread move downwardly along the chute and with the assistance of the belt conveyor 35 are fed to the slicing blades 5, each preceding loaf being moved through the slicing blades by the weight of the following loaves. As each loaf is completely sliced, the slices are guided by the finger portions 34 of the chute base 30 and are discharged from the blades between the delivery table side guides 52 when they are moved away from the blades by the belt conveyor 45. This conveyor, as previously mentio-ned, may feed the sliced loaves of bread directly to a wrapping machine.

The sliced loaf leaves the slicer in compact assembled loaf form in condition to be subsequently cartoned and wrapped, or wrapped without a retaining carton.

One particular feature of the invention is that the loaves of bread are fed to the slicing blades at an angle. This is very advantageous in that the slicing blades simultaneously engage an end of the loaf so that a narrow area of the crust is severed before the remainder thereof. In a freshly baked loaf of bread the crust is hard and the interior very soft, and it is obvious that it is highly desirable to rst sever the corner of the loaf in order to prevent crushing which would be the case where the entire side of the loaf is engaged by the blades.

Another advantageous feature in the feeding means of the present invention is that every slice is perfect in cutting and uniform in thickness which is accomplished by eliminating any distortion of the loaf being sliced. In many types of slicing machines used heretofore, pushers and force feed mechanisms were employed which crowded the loaf thromgh the slicing blades with considerable pressure at a rate faster than the blades could cut, thus distorting the loaf or texture.

The slicing machine of the present invention is Very simple in construction and can be economically manufactured since the design and construction shown and described eliminates the necessity of providing complicated and expensive means for feeding the loaves of bread to the slicing machine.

The means for reciprocating the slicing blade frames is a marked improvement over the means heretofore employed because of the material decrease of vibration.

The supports 32 for the feed chute are made adjustable so that a different degree of inclination can be employed for slow or fast feeding of the bread to the slicing blades. This is desirable, also, because some kinds of bread can be sliced at a considerably faster rate than other kinds.

The discharge conveyor may be driven at the same rate of speed as the feed conveyor or, if desired, it may be driven at a slightly higher rate in order to rapidly remove the sliced bread from adjacent the slicer blades.

Aside from the specific embodiments of the invention herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of construction may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact construction shown and set forth herein, as it is desired to claim the invention broadly as well as specifically, asV indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a bread slicing machine, a frame, slicing mechanism carried by said frame for completely slicing a loaf of bread in a single operation, a feed chute extending upwardly and away from said slicing mechanism at a relatively steep angle for feeding loaves of bread to said slicing mechanism, an endless and flightless apron having a portion thereof operable over the feeding surface of said chute for frictionally engaging loaves of bread carried by said chute to assist the feeding action of said chute, said apron being materially less than the normal width of said feeding surface, and means for actuating said apron.

2. In a bread slicing machine, a frame, slicing mechanism carried by said frame for completely slicing a loaf of bread in a single operation, a feed chute extending upwardly and away from said slicing mechanism at a relatively steep angle for feeding loaves of bread to said slicing mechanism, adjustable means for changing the angle of inclination of said chute, an endless and flightless apron having a portion thereof operable over the feeding surface of said chute for frictionally engaging loaves of bread carried by said chute to assist the feeding action of said chute, said apron being materially less than the normal width of said feeding surface, and means for actuating said apron.

3. In a bread slicing machine, a frame, slicing mechanism carried by said frame for completely slicing a loaf of bread in a single operation, a feed chute extending upwardly and away from said slicing mechanism at a relatively steep angle for feeding loaves of bread to said slicing mechanism, a pair of spaced, narrow, endless and flightless aprons having portions operable with respect to the feeding surface of said chute for frictionally engaging loaves of bread carried by said chute to assist the feeding action of said chute, the combined width of said aprons being materially less than the normal width of said feeding surface, and means for actuating said aprons.

TAYLOR W. CREECH. 

